PR agency Killeen Furtney Group, was up until recently, representing Nadya Suleman, the Californian mother of the recently born octuplets.
Joann Killeen has announced that they have stepped down after receiving death threats in the form of graphic emails and voice mails.
Suleman is now working with agent Wes Yoder who arranged book and music deals for the McCaughey septuplets a decade ago.
Debate rages on as to the decision of this mum to have this many children - her love of babies, or her desire to be in the public eye and build a babbling and burbling publicity machine.
Debate in The Observer this week looked at whether people would donate towards the upbringing of these eight children. Many wouldn't, it's a tricky one - do you make life easy for someone who should have had more sense? Do you pay for the irresponsible decisions on a doctor who should probably lose his license? Do you bite the bullet and think about the ultimate outcome – more money will help to feed eight hungry mouths.
Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Bizarre scam or master plan?
Joaquin Pheonix sparked widespread rumour and debate after a recent appearance on the David Letterman Show, appearing downtrodden and distant in dark glasses and an unkempt beard.
Letterman went as far as to mock, apologising that Pheonix couldn’t be there. Filming his brother in law was Casey Affleck, claiming to be making a documentary about the stars move from actor to rapper – not an obvious transition but rumour has it that P Diddy is producing the first album…I wonder if he’d work with me?
Close friends are reported to have said that Pheonix decided to stage his melt down and change careers. Watch the clip – Perez Hilton, leading blogger on A list Hollywood gossip is adamant that the Letterman appearance was all a big joke, and that the aim was to mess with peoples minds a little.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDZl22QUl20
I think I smell something – a rat maybe?
Unfortunately it seems that if this was a hoax, the press he’s receiving isn’t that of support or intrigue as he had maybe hoped for, but is unfortunately more sniggering and speculating as to how quickly he will hang up his hip hop pants for good.
Letterman went as far as to mock, apologising that Pheonix couldn’t be there. Filming his brother in law was Casey Affleck, claiming to be making a documentary about the stars move from actor to rapper – not an obvious transition but rumour has it that P Diddy is producing the first album…I wonder if he’d work with me?
Close friends are reported to have said that Pheonix decided to stage his melt down and change careers. Watch the clip – Perez Hilton, leading blogger on A list Hollywood gossip is adamant that the Letterman appearance was all a big joke, and that the aim was to mess with peoples minds a little.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDZl22QUl20
I think I smell something – a rat maybe?
Unfortunately it seems that if this was a hoax, the press he’s receiving isn’t that of support or intrigue as he had maybe hoped for, but is unfortunately more sniggering and speculating as to how quickly he will hang up his hip hop pants for good.
Sunday, 8 February 2009
All aboard for Toy Fair
On the last Wednesday of January I set off on my annual trip to London Toy Fair at the Docklands to see what new gadgets and gizmos are set to light up the faces of little ones across the country this year – and ultimately what the 2009 Dear Santa letters will be politely (yet persuasively) asking for.
Someone must have decided I was owed a few good turns because two miracles occurred between Didcot Parkway and London Paddington; a parking space right outside the train station (and it was raining), and one lone seat on the train that other passengers seemed to dismiss but was free according to the nice lady I sat next to.
On the journey I got my head down and started writing a proposal for a client. With the countryside whizzing by and no office distractions the ideas were coming thick and fast. I love to handwrite ideas, so being away from the computer was a nice change.
Before arriving at the station I checked my tube route on my spangly new (but soon to be returned) phone (grr Vodafone), and packed up ready to hit the underground.
On arrival at Excel I headed straight for the Greenhouse section; an area dedicated to nuturing small and start up companies. This is where you can often find the best innovations and exciting new ideas.
Having spent the morning speaking with some of the newbies in this area, two in particular stood out.
Oball from Crazee Thingz, a dishwasher safe squashy ball made up of lots of holes, which has recently won a number of parental awards. A free sample proved a huge hit with my own six month old – being easy to grab hold of, and most importantly chew!
The second was My Wondercube. Suitable from birth and based on a very popular play pattern, this soft ‘tissue box’ contains fabric squares (like tissues), velcroed together to be pulled out by a curious baby. Cleverly, My Wondercube are introducing add on packs of number and letter squares to add an educational aspect to the toy.
I also stopped by to see Barnado’s who were hosting a charity crazy golf game provided by Urban Crazy. Although I didn’t have appropriate shoes on for a quick round, I spoke with a very nice gentleman called Ray about their plans for 2009.
I was amazed at the sheer number of projects Barnado’s has going on, including The Spark Centre, a fantastic venture for disabled children from birth to 19 in London which provides after school, early evening and weekend activities amongst other services.
Did you know, Clinton Cards donates £1 to Barnado’s for every iTunes gift card sold in their stores, so for the music lovers out there, this is an easy way to help a very worthwhile charity.
All in all it was a great trip. Alongside my meetings with toy manufacturers and distributors I met up with someone I consider to be a mentor and friend, Nic of Jammy Rascals. We team up on projects where I work on PR and Nic on areas including marketing, product development and distribution. He always has a million and one ideas on the go and is working on some really exciting projects at the moment.
I also passed a familiar face from years and years ago, and after an hour or so realised it was Sam, a family friend who I hadn’t seen for nearly 20 years. After a quick call to super sleuth and queen of the internet, my mother, we found a mobile number. I called and we had a great catch up. To say he was surprised when I called is probably an understatement. Sam is a furniture and product designer
Toy Fair was quieter this year than previous years, and although the loss of Woolies and the struggles facing many toy companies was clearly front of mind, this is still a fantastic show case of new and exciting toy ranges in the UK.
My prediction for top selling toy this year – I’m holding out for the big one – I was it to be environmentally friendly, yet with the excitement of the trashiest, nosiest toy - the ones that children love. I want it to have a jaw dropping effect but be purse friendly. Expecting too much? Let's wait and see!
Someone must have decided I was owed a few good turns because two miracles occurred between Didcot Parkway and London Paddington; a parking space right outside the train station (and it was raining), and one lone seat on the train that other passengers seemed to dismiss but was free according to the nice lady I sat next to.
On the journey I got my head down and started writing a proposal for a client. With the countryside whizzing by and no office distractions the ideas were coming thick and fast. I love to handwrite ideas, so being away from the computer was a nice change.
Before arriving at the station I checked my tube route on my spangly new (but soon to be returned) phone (grr Vodafone), and packed up ready to hit the underground.
On arrival at Excel I headed straight for the Greenhouse section; an area dedicated to nuturing small and start up companies. This is where you can often find the best innovations and exciting new ideas.
Having spent the morning speaking with some of the newbies in this area, two in particular stood out.
Oball from Crazee Thingz, a dishwasher safe squashy ball made up of lots of holes, which has recently won a number of parental awards. A free sample proved a huge hit with my own six month old – being easy to grab hold of, and most importantly chew!
The second was My Wondercube. Suitable from birth and based on a very popular play pattern, this soft ‘tissue box’ contains fabric squares (like tissues), velcroed together to be pulled out by a curious baby. Cleverly, My Wondercube are introducing add on packs of number and letter squares to add an educational aspect to the toy.
I also stopped by to see Barnado’s who were hosting a charity crazy golf game provided by Urban Crazy. Although I didn’t have appropriate shoes on for a quick round, I spoke with a very nice gentleman called Ray about their plans for 2009.
I was amazed at the sheer number of projects Barnado’s has going on, including The Spark Centre, a fantastic venture for disabled children from birth to 19 in London which provides after school, early evening and weekend activities amongst other services.
Did you know, Clinton Cards donates £1 to Barnado’s for every iTunes gift card sold in their stores, so for the music lovers out there, this is an easy way to help a very worthwhile charity.
All in all it was a great trip. Alongside my meetings with toy manufacturers and distributors I met up with someone I consider to be a mentor and friend, Nic of Jammy Rascals. We team up on projects where I work on PR and Nic on areas including marketing, product development and distribution. He always has a million and one ideas on the go and is working on some really exciting projects at the moment.
I also passed a familiar face from years and years ago, and after an hour or so realised it was Sam, a family friend who I hadn’t seen for nearly 20 years. After a quick call to super sleuth and queen of the internet, my mother, we found a mobile number. I called and we had a great catch up. To say he was surprised when I called is probably an understatement. Sam is a furniture and product designer
Toy Fair was quieter this year than previous years, and although the loss of Woolies and the struggles facing many toy companies was clearly front of mind, this is still a fantastic show case of new and exciting toy ranges in the UK.
My prediction for top selling toy this year – I’m holding out for the big one – I was it to be environmentally friendly, yet with the excitement of the trashiest, nosiest toy - the ones that children love. I want it to have a jaw dropping effect but be purse friendly. Expecting too much? Let's wait and see!
What's in the box?!
YouTube videos of people ‘unboxing’ their new mobile phones, games consoles, gadgets and gizmos are the latest craze amongst tech fans – it’s been dubbed ‘geek porn’, but what’s all the fuss about?!
I must admit to the butterfly feeling of taking a new box out of the City Link bag, wondering if my new phone will live up to expectations (my latest one didn’t but that’s a whole other story…Vodafone you con artists)…sorry, I digress.
Anyway, it’s exciting because it’s MY new phone, my gadget to get to grips with – have and hold all shiny and new…until the little protective plastic layer over the screen gets biscuit crumbs under the edges and you have to give in and peel it off – usually after about 24 hours.
I cannot see the fascination of watching other people unbox their new toys. You can’t have a go, have a hold or anything like that; you’ve just got to watch their enjoyment. Maybe I’m missing the point, but some clips on YouTube have hundreds of thousands of hits – how come?! Even Todd Carty’s dancing on ice spectacular received fewer, no fair!
However, it is fantastic free advertising for companies such as Sony and Blackberry when the ‘opener’ nearly pees with joy when he realises that the new iPhone has a scientific calculator. Eeek.
If you’ve never experienced ‘unboxing’ then you have to watch this clip of the Samsung Omnia. Read the text at the side of the clip though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQlzX7EyIwU
Now this one, I did enjoy.
http://i.gizmodo.com/5050076/the-most-realistic-unboxing-of-all-time
I’m off to unbox the eco friendly nappies that just arrived by Parcel Force, anyone care to join me?
I must admit to the butterfly feeling of taking a new box out of the City Link bag, wondering if my new phone will live up to expectations (my latest one didn’t but that’s a whole other story…Vodafone you con artists)…sorry, I digress.
Anyway, it’s exciting because it’s MY new phone, my gadget to get to grips with – have and hold all shiny and new…until the little protective plastic layer over the screen gets biscuit crumbs under the edges and you have to give in and peel it off – usually after about 24 hours.
I cannot see the fascination of watching other people unbox their new toys. You can’t have a go, have a hold or anything like that; you’ve just got to watch their enjoyment. Maybe I’m missing the point, but some clips on YouTube have hundreds of thousands of hits – how come?! Even Todd Carty’s dancing on ice spectacular received fewer, no fair!
However, it is fantastic free advertising for companies such as Sony and Blackberry when the ‘opener’ nearly pees with joy when he realises that the new iPhone has a scientific calculator. Eeek.
If you’ve never experienced ‘unboxing’ then you have to watch this clip of the Samsung Omnia. Read the text at the side of the clip though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQlzX7EyIwU
Now this one, I did enjoy.
http://i.gizmodo.com/5050076/the-most-realistic-unboxing-of-all-time
I’m off to unbox the eco friendly nappies that just arrived by Parcel Force, anyone care to join me?
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
I want to be cremated
I have always wanted to be cremated.
I'll come straight to the point; I have always wanted to be cremated. It's a morbid topic so I won't dwell, but I was concerned when I read in The Observer last week that the government is being forced to clamp down on where families scatter their loved ones ashes, now that 70% of people are cremated, a rise from only a third up until the Sixties.
Mountain tops, gardens, football grounds, rivers upstream of a water source, lakes, parks, golf courses - all popular choices, and now all big no-no's. One hint of an urn being smuggled into Jane Austen’s house and grounds and you'll probably see someone official surging towards you shaking an authoritative forefinger.
So it got me thinking; what are my options? Hopefully not something I need to consider for a few, or 50 years, however, I like to plan ahead. Here are my top three choices.
1) If she's still alive, can you please send me to Anthea Turner? I don’t mind admitting that I like house work. I said it. I like house work.
I think she would have some great ideas for my ashes. She would probably find a clever way to turn them into some sort of shake and vac by mixing them with lavender oil and cinnamon.
2) I would quite like to be put into my compost in the back garden. I am a big recycler and was thrilled to find that you could buy composting worms online. Online! I know, the internet really is king. So, a kilo arrived - by City Link and they were quickly installed in their new home. The government has banned mountain top ash scattering because the phosphates added to the soil can overstimulate plant growth. I wonder if putting my ashes in the compost would cause the composting worms to grow to ten times their usual size. Its got to be worth finding out surely?
3) If options 1 and 2 fail to gain approval from my nearest and dearest, then maybe I could go to the moon? Now, in 2009 people are paying for flights to the moon, so by the time I am 'the dearly departed', maybe you'll be able to have your ashes taken to outer space? I wonder if I should start saving now though....
Over and out...
p.s. We hope no offence is caused to those who do not wish to be cremated, or think about dying, death and the like.
I'll come straight to the point; I have always wanted to be cremated. It's a morbid topic so I won't dwell, but I was concerned when I read in The Observer last week that the government is being forced to clamp down on where families scatter their loved ones ashes, now that 70% of people are cremated, a rise from only a third up until the Sixties.
Mountain tops, gardens, football grounds, rivers upstream of a water source, lakes, parks, golf courses - all popular choices, and now all big no-no's. One hint of an urn being smuggled into Jane Austen’s house and grounds and you'll probably see someone official surging towards you shaking an authoritative forefinger.
So it got me thinking; what are my options? Hopefully not something I need to consider for a few, or 50 years, however, I like to plan ahead. Here are my top three choices.
1) If she's still alive, can you please send me to Anthea Turner? I don’t mind admitting that I like house work. I said it. I like house work.
I think she would have some great ideas for my ashes. She would probably find a clever way to turn them into some sort of shake and vac by mixing them with lavender oil and cinnamon.
2) I would quite like to be put into my compost in the back garden. I am a big recycler and was thrilled to find that you could buy composting worms online. Online! I know, the internet really is king. So, a kilo arrived - by City Link and they were quickly installed in their new home. The government has banned mountain top ash scattering because the phosphates added to the soil can overstimulate plant growth. I wonder if putting my ashes in the compost would cause the composting worms to grow to ten times their usual size. Its got to be worth finding out surely?
3) If options 1 and 2 fail to gain approval from my nearest and dearest, then maybe I could go to the moon? Now, in 2009 people are paying for flights to the moon, so by the time I am 'the dearly departed', maybe you'll be able to have your ashes taken to outer space? I wonder if I should start saving now though....
Over and out...
p.s. We hope no offence is caused to those who do not wish to be cremated, or think about dying, death and the like.
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